Cut from the cast list? 9 other ways to get involved with a show

tSo, you didn’t get a part in the show you auditioned for. You’re understandably, disappointed, confused, overwhelmed and wondering what on earth you did wrong. There’s no question that you are absolutely justified in feeling upset when you don’t see your name up on the cast list.

Even though it may feel like all your theatre-related hopes and dreams
have been crushed, there are still plenty of ways you can get involved with the
production even if you aren’t actually onstage. In fact, getting involved in
the department and becoming a more visible presence can even boost your chances
of getting a role the next round of auditions.

Tech

Even if you don’t have the slightest clue what the difference is
between a phillips screwdriver and slot screwdriver and haven’t yielded a
hammer since, well, never, there’s no time like the present! In addition to
playing an integral role in creating the set pieces and scenery of the show,
you’ll learn invaluable skills that you can carry with you for years to come.
Plus, you’ll even get a little bit of time onstage — granted, you’ll be clad
head-to-toe in black and be frantically shuffling around set pieces in the
dark, but the thrill is still totally worth it.

Props

If the idea of spending a few months casually dangling from a wooden
ladder is a bit too much for you, you may feel more comfortable pitching in
with the props department. Being involved in props is great if you enjoy a
challenge, as you’ll spend a lot of time on an unparallelled treasure hunt for
items more random and ridiculous than you ever could have imagined. However,
once you’ve collected all your items, be prepared to lose them constantly, as
actors have a bad habit of playing around with props that are definitely not
theirs.

Costumes

Okay, so maybe you didn’t get to unleash your inner diva under the warm
glow of a spotlight. But that doesn’t mean you can’t show off your fashionista
side by creating, collecting and fitting gorgeous costumes for the cast! Half
the fun is spending an inordinate amount of time in the costume shed trying
stuff on for funsies, and the other half is watching your creations come to
life onstage as you nail down the perfect costume.

Lights

If you like the idea of being off in your own little world, lights
could be the perfect way to get involved with the theatre department. Tucked
away in your booth, you get a bird’s-eye view into the action below and are
responsible for those moments that take the show from “meh” to “WOW.” Besides,
the experience is great for any other event that needs someone who knows how to
operate the lights – you’ll be in high demand.

Director’s Assistant

Sure, the title “Director’s Assistant” can make you sound a lot like
Anne Hathaway’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada.” You might think you’re
dooming yourself to weeks upon weeks of fetching lattes and takeout pizza, but
there’s a lot more that goes into this job than just that. Directors have
approximately a billion things on their mind at once, and you can play a big
role in helping to alleviate some of those challenges and running errands that
are vital to the production. Besides, what better way than to get some facetime
with the person making next year’s casting decisions than being literally
attached to their hip?

Front of House

If you want to get known by your director without spending months upon
months hanging out backstage, working on a front-of-house crew could be the
best job for you. Here, you could be responsible for customer service, ticket
checks or selling programs for the show.

Orchestra

So maybe your singing voice is a little more “eek” than Taylor Swift,
but you’ve been rocking out on the trumpet in band for years. Satisfy that urge
to perform by auditioning to join the orchestra for the show. You get all the
fun of showbiz without the months of rehearsals and still get to show off your
talent in a spot where you’ll really shine.

Sound

Another option if you don’t make it into the cast is to join the sound
crew. You’ll work with any live or recorded music and sound effects and manage
the actors’ microphones. It’s a trying task, as everyone will definitely notice
when backstage shenanigans are picked up by a rogue mic and projected to the
entire audience. You’ll also get to play around with several sources of sound
effects, and nothing is more fun than scrolling through a library of sounds to
find the one that’s juuuuuust right for your show.

Stage Manager

Who runs the world? Stage managers. Who run the world? Stage managers. But really, from the second rehearsals start to the second the curtain falls on closing night, the stage manager is an absolutely vital asset to the show running smoothly. If you get a thrill out of organisation and thrive off high stakes, you might love sitting just offstage coordinating all the moving pieces of the show through a tiny headset. If you consider yourself a people-person, this could be the job for you, as you’ll have to manage actors, techies, props masters, costumes and front-of-house staff while working closely with the director. Don’t think you’re quite ready to hold the fate of the show in your hands? Offer to be an assistant stage manager to learn the ropes.

Though it’s no secret that it can be tough to watch a show come to life
without you actually performing in it, you can still play your own special role
behind the scenes. And who knows? Maybe you’ll stumble upon your secret passion
along the way.